The present invention relates generally to fuel tanks for vehicles and, more particularly, to a floated fuel strainer assembly for a fuel tank of a vehicle.
It is known to provide a fuel tank for a vehicle to hold fuel to be used by an engine of the vehicle. In some vehicles, a fuel strainer is provided to filter a certain degree of contaminants in the fuel. The contaminants range in the form of dirt and metal particles, water and air (vapor). Typically, the fuel strainer is located at a bottom of the fuel tank to filter the contaminants from the fuel before the fuel reaches a fuel pump. However, large and heavy contaminants in the fuel are normally found at the bottom of the fuel tank. When too many contaminants gather on or in the fuel strainer, the fuel restrainer becomes restrictive and can cause a failure of the fuel pump.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a fuel strainer for a fuel tank in a vehicle to strain fuel that is off the bottom of the fuel tank. It is also desirable to provide a fuel strainer for a fuel tank in a vehicle that allows the fuel strainer to filter cleaner fuel and increase the fuel strainer life. It is further desirable to provide a fuel strainer for a fuel tank in a vehicle that reduces restriction of the fuel strainer.
It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a floated fuel strainer assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a floated fuel strainer assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle that allows a fuel strainer to use cleaner fuel therefor.
To achieve the foregoing objects, the present invention is a floated fuel strainer assembly for a fuel tank in a vehicle including a strainer adapted to be connected to an inlet of either one of a fuel pump and fuel reservoir disposed in the fuel tank. The floated fuel strainer assembly also includes a float connected to or disposed within the strainer to elevate the strainer off a bottom of the fuel tank as a fuel level rises in the fuel tank.
One advantage of the present invention is that a floated fuel strainer assembly is provided for a fuel tank in a vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the floated fuel strainer assembly has the ability to strain fuel off the bottom of the fuel tank, which minimizes loading of the fuel strainer with contamination. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the floated fuel strainer assembly has a longer strainer life through increased surface area. Still another advantage of the present invention is that the floated fuel strainer assembly improves performance at low fuel conditions because the fuel strainer will retrieve fuel farther away from the fuel pump through wicking. A further advantage of the present invention is that the floated fuel strainer assembly improves performance in hot fuel conditions due to fuel vapors rising to the top of the fuel strainer, allowing cooler fuel to enter the fuel pump. Yet a further advantage of the present invention is that the floated fuel strainer assembly improves quality by reducing the chance of a restricted fuel strainer causing fuel pump failure.